Extremists recruiting impressionable UK Muslim women, says Govt. document

London, Jan.22 : Radical groups with reported links to al Qaeda are thought to be attempting to recruit impressionable young people, particularly Muslim women to their cause in Britain

In a document published Monday, Britain's ministers have warned that higher education institutions face a "serious but not widespread" threat from radical groups, insisting there is "no single profile" of potential recruits.

"They are likely to be generally younger than 30 and male, although the number of women who support and participate in violent extremism is increasing," The Telegraph revealed the document, as saying.

The Government guidance stressed that "the vast majority of Muslims" in Britain rejected violent extremism, but said that academics should be aware of the "recruitment and grooming process" used by extremist groups in universities.

"Taking control of Friday prayers, other prayer meetings or sermons and the use of charismatic radical speakers can be means by which extreme groups seek to spread their message," the document adds.

Britain's Minister for Higher Education, Bill Rammell, has called for an open debate on controversial issues to determine the "most effective way" of tackling radical views among students.

The new document focuses on the importance of academic freedom. The previous guidance in 2006 provoked anger among Muslim students, who were worried about being unfairly targeted.

The new document said that universities should consider "sharing information" on speakers "who are deemed inappropriate to speak on campus, or those who are involved in any form of extremist activity".

ANI